Seeking Me To Find You (Finding You Series Book 1) by Anna Mychals

our friendship, we received a lot of pressure from people to date. No one could understand, like you, how a boy and a girl could be best friends without benefits. One night after going out with friends we thought maybe we were just ignoring something that others saw in us. That’s when we kissed and instantly we knew that we could never be intimate. It was like kissing my brother. No sparks. No ooey gooey feeling in my soul. Like I said, I love him like a brother.”
    Giving me his undivided attention he asks, “Why did you leave the bar without letting me know? I was worried that something had happened to you.”
    “I’m so sorry. Nate and I had a little disagreement about how I should live my life. Like my parents, he tries to put me in a little protective bubble so that I don’t fall down, get molested, or get kidnapped by a serial killer.”
    Quizzically he looks at me, “A serial killer?”
    “Yes, he thought that you were stalking me with your dog earlier today and again this evening like Ted Bundy hunted down his victims.”
    “Seriously?” This cute little v forms between his brows that I just want to lightly kiss.
    “Oh, Nate was more than serious. I just called him out this evening about the weekly secret meetings that he has with my parents about my welfare. They all treat me like this fragile china doll that is going to chip and break away if not protected at every corner. That’s why I moved here. I need to live on my own and find my way through this thing we call life.”
    He eased up off the couch. “May I use your bathroom for a minute?”
    Smiling at this beautiful creature, I return with a simple, “Yes.”
    It seems as if exhaustion suddenly takes over his body as I lead him to the half bath. “I’m really not a bad guy and I swear my dog really loves me.”
    Giggling at the imploring look he’s giving me, I hand him a towel from the laundry room. “I understand. Well… sorta, I guess. Take your time to get yourself cleaned up. I need to go back to consoling the other victim.”
    He looks up at me and smiles. Immediately want to run my fingers lightly through his hair and softly kiss him on the cheek just to let him know that everything is going to be okay. Thank goodness he closed the door because I was getting ready to take this somewhere that it I really doesn’t need to be going.
    *
    I must have drifted off because I’m awaked by something tugging on my lap. I come to and I have this massive body of a dog pushed half way on my lap. Jackson is trying his best to move him without bothering me. No such luck because Thor is not budging. Defeated, Jackson scoops up Thor and heads for the door.
    Straining to walk he asks, “Do you mind opening the door for me?”
    Thinking for a second I say, “This is nonsense. How about I walk you and him home?” He puts down Thor as I grab my keys. I take Thor’s collar and lead him out the door. Jackson is standing behind me in shock that Thor is actually walking with me without any extra effort on my part. Turning around I ask, “Are you coming? I don’t know where you live. If you don’t start moving, Thor and I are going to walk back inside and cozy on down for the evening.”
    Seeming to snap out of it, he quickly closes my door. “I’ll walk you back after I give the big baby knock out drops then lock him in his crate so he cannot escape.”
    I’m shocked that his condo is just two units up from me. I wonder why I never saw him the whole week I was moving in. Jackson opens his door and Thor runs in and then shoots up the stairs.
    “He knows he’s in trouble,” Jackson says in an aggravated tone. “Please come inside while I get him situated.”
    As I scan the room, I see that it’s in a very tight, orderly fashion. I notice Marine Corps memorabilia strategically placed throughout. Nate was right. He must be a Marine. Jackson comes barreling back down the stairs. “Let’s get you in bed.” He stops quick and gives me an abashed